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Nobility has been a wild ride for many years, a phrase that all of these threads invariably end up being started with. The system "formally" ended a few months ago with a full release of the "rights" to the players because I (myself) could no longer maintain the paper framework behind it, with the onset of server taxes and business management looming on the horizon. That solution however, was never really a perfect solution. In theory handing more freedom to the players was a good idea, but in practice one would find that releasing such choices to players only results in them closing ranks and making it much harder to re-enter. It didn't help either that the Noble Application process was incredibly tough to get into, with the Trustee demands. So, while assessing the Noble Changes, let's consider the necessities first:
In the last few days, Emperor Alexander I has been re-appointed by the State Council and the Synod as the Emperor. The exact clauses of the Imperial ascension weren't clear, which helps us from an OOC standpoint of view. It makes explaining these changes IC a lot easier when the OOC immersion breaking jargon isn't in the way. So, What does this mean:
Commoners ranking up to nobility is strictly still a possibility, but our views on them will be more concisely recorded. In the past this was always super up in the air, but it should be a bit more entrenched now. The exact specifications and how to go about this will also be recorded on the actual baronial application thread.
Governance & the disillusionment of Nobility
We feel that, in the past, nobility quickly became disillusioned with rule because it was always a struggle against "old money". Whether this was a super alliance of imposed noble families, or a single individual who was given full rule authority and veto power over everyone else doesn't wholly matter, the point is that the system often encouraged the opposition to become stagnant and do nothing, since there was neither a punishment for doing so, nor a reward for really sticking it out. In many cases, a clear path to go about this was in itself also impossible, since the very top was always so congested with old money that it seemed utterly impossible to even try. To that effect:
- We want to create a scenario where the hierarchy of the System makes sense with the Emperor at the top again. An Empire without Emperor feels hollow and pointless, it betrays the Empire's culture.
- We want to create a scenario where a group of players from another server coming to peek in, can play nobles, if they so want to. There is nothing more jarring than having to work for months to get your "niche" when you've grown comfortable with it somewhere else, but somehow get barricades to that here.
- We want to create a scenario where consent rule is no longer a factor- The problem experienced in the past with political disillusionment where nobles just stopped showing up at assemblies, because votes always hinged on a Proconsul to approve or veto.
- We want to create a scenario where "Old Money" is no longer that strongly a factor. Many families have changed, disappeared, re-appeared and changed, but Howlester was always a mainstay that controlled a large segment of Nobility. It should be very interesting to see what happens when they are removed form the equation.
- We want to expand Nobility to focus more on "Wide" variety, instead of "Tall" few families that all invariably bleed into each other.
- Somehow, we want to balance all of this to the point that it prevents everyone and their grandmother either being a noble, or being related to one. There is a rough "cap" on how much nobility we want to see, and we may as such recommend new trial goers to group up together.
In the last few days, Emperor Alexander I has been re-appointed by the State Council and the Synod as the Emperor. The exact clauses of the Imperial ascension weren't clear, which helps us from an OOC standpoint of view. It makes explaining these changes IC a lot easier when the OOC immersion breaking jargon isn't in the way. So, What does this mean:
- We have a number of "Ducal" style families right now: Ravenstad, von Rahm, Harhold, Yaotl, Peirgarten, Black. These remain the heavy weight families, but proportionally speaking, they will be outnumbered by the "Barons" style families.
- Von Hauger was previously a Ducal style family, but their playstyle (or lack of investment in the ongoing narratives) would argue for them to be more suitable as a "Baron" Style family.
- Some families that have been portraying nobility in Roleplay, but don't have it should be immediately upgraded to Baronial Style. This is particularly the de Letoirneau family (but ONLY if Ellimairy starts using the family name Letoirneau in-game like they are supposed to, instead of insisting to still use du Polignac-Letoirneau). Consistency, is very important!
- Some other families who have had old links with Nobility but fell on the wayside, should immediately be allowed to step in at Baron Style family, this concerns the Viduggla, and von Griefenfeld families (the latter has a few points of critique that can be handled internally with Lore Staff).
- Ducal Style family is no longer apply-able. This is because we'd like to see In-RP progression from the Baronial tier nobility to the Ducal tier Nobility. Baronial Tier Nobility however, will have wildly loosened regulations:
- A thread for this will appear in the Character Permission section of the Forums real soon. That will contain the actual application process.
- Principally speaking, everyone has the "right" to try out for nobility one way or another. We distinguish two different types, a "Family" application, and a "Person" application. Family applications are always preferential. They are groups of players carrying a theme together into nobility. Person applications are not preferential, because they are only single-man families trying out for nobility. There are as such some differences.
- A single "Person" application permits a player 2 weeks of being a trial Baronial heir. For sake of consistency of RP, this person will not be a Baron during their trial, but be one of the "heirs" of another Barony about to be inherited. If their trial succeeds, they inherit the barony, if they do not, they simply retain their character as an aristocrat, but not actually noble or related to PC nobility and thus not be noble. This period for trial has no pre-requirements, but will still be evaluated by Nobility DM's to ensure that the applicant is taking the trial period seriously and not just as an afterthought to their 4 other characters. This trial lasts for 2 weeks after which it is evaluated by Nobility DM's to see if the character should be kept or denied nobility. Repeat trials are possible, but some time is expected to run between. For more info on trial runs, refer to the thread when it goes up.
- "Family" applications are given more leeway than the "Person" applications, and pass through much of the same process as the Person application explained above. Their period in "Nobility" is more closely tied to a month, so they have longer, and one of them will also be a Baronial title holder for a while. If they succeed in their trial, they get to keep it, if they do not, their title will pass to someone else, and they will be fallen nobility aristocrats, thus not nobles and not in ownership of any land.
- In both cases, applications will be evaluated based on:
- How much we feel the applicant(s) will drive narratives with other nobles.
- Whether or not the applicants are purely doing it to be "rich & powerful".
- Whether the applicants have something new to bring to nobility.
- Whether we feel the OOC intentions and conduct matches up with the Nobility expectations.
Commoners ranking up to nobility is strictly still a possibility, but our views on them will be more concisely recorded. In the past this was always super up in the air, but it should be a bit more entrenched now. The exact specifications and how to go about this will also be recorded on the actual baronial application thread.
Governance & the disillusionment of Nobility
We feel that, in the past, nobility quickly became disillusioned with rule because it was always a struggle against "old money". Whether this was a super alliance of imposed noble families, or a single individual who was given full rule authority and veto power over everyone else doesn't wholly matter, the point is that the system often encouraged the opposition to become stagnant and do nothing, since there was neither a punishment for doing so, nor a reward for really sticking it out. In many cases, a clear path to go about this was in itself also impossible, since the very top was always so congested with old money that it seemed utterly impossible to even try. To that effect:
- The State Council has already been dissolved IC, and will be replaced with a Government of an Assembly. Technically a Senatorial Assembly would be against IC proceedings and the autocracy of many of the characters who run the government, but from an OOC stand point of view, it is absolutely necessary to be inclusive to every noble applicant and player from the base up.
- The Assembly will have voters, Ducal families with more than 1 vote weight, and Baronial voters with 1 or 2 vote weight. The hope is that after the first wave of applications, nobility will see a Ducal upper layer of 45% voting power, and a Baronial under layer of 55% voting power.
- This also comes with a hard bar (so an OOC bar on even the players voting to have it returned) on anything like a Supreme Chancellor or Undercrown or Proconsul existing. This should purely be about how many votes can be tallied in favor of a change, and the flexibility of political leagues, as opposed to a single individual who needs to be hard coup'd but otherwise discourages political flexibility because "they can just veto anything anyway".
- House Kade & House Howlester will function as "Deus Ex-DM" to manage the lore universe. House Kade for example acts as a DM army to ensure the state remains Unionist and Empire oriented, while House Howlester acts as a DM army to ensure the state remains military oriented and doesn't start prosecuting its own Human populations while maintaining the rule of legality and state righteousness. These families act as DM factors to ensure the roleplay stays "on track" and going with the general story line, not diverting to really random escapades. Neither Kade nor Howlester will hold political offices, have any voting power, or be involved in taking sides, though lower members (not myself or BillyTheScroofy) can still make public support statements as long as they do not immediately reflect the DM stance (Either of these families will still have characters in organizations, such as the Explorer's League & the City Guard etc, but these will not have a political preference, and merely observe the rule of Law blind to affiliation).
- More Imperial Events
- Funneling of RP on an Imperial Court location with hopefully daily activity
- Imperial audiences
- Public Celebrations
- Incentives for Player-Run Events
- Incentives in Storywebs for Player-run Political Leagues
- More.
